Sixers and Celtics to finalize trade for No. 1 pick, where Philly will draft Markelle Fultz

The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics reportedly will finalize a trade on Monday that will send the No. 1 pick — in next week’s NBA Draft — to the Sixers. And with that pick, the Sixers will take Washington point guard Markelle Fultz.

Trade between Philly and Boston will be finalized on Monday, per source. Sides have agreed. Sixers will get first pick and take Fultz.

The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Sixers will send the Celtics this year’s No. 3 overall pick, as well as a first-round pick in 2018 (via the Lakers) or a first-round pick in 2019 (via the Kings). The 2018 pick has protections, so if that comes into play, the Celtics will instead get the 2019 pick.

Woj adds that the Lakers were interested in moving up from the No. 2 pick to be able to draft Fultz, but couldn’t — or at least weren’t willing to — match the price. LaVar Ball would’ve certainly been quite angry about that.

So, the Sixers are going to add Fultz to a team that already has young stars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Trust the process indeed.

A core of Markelle Fultz, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons would be RIDICULOUS. I hope this deal happens, just so we can see that trio in Philly.

While the 6’10” Simmons is built like a power forward, the Sixers have been using him basically as a point guard, and there’s been talk that Fultz could even play off the ball at shooting guard with Simmons running the point.

If Philly gets Fultz, would certainly give Sixers a backup plan to the Ben Simmons point guard experiment. Fultz can play on and off ball.